projects
"The exploration of new forms begins with the question: How would things be if they were different?
Applied to the problem of any intimate object of use, this starting point allows for a wide range of interpretation of pre-existing forms. The challenge is to provide a solution that takes into account the associations which are established in society for that object - and its use, while examining a fresh set of formal concerns relevant to our current mode of living.
More than just a mere styling exercise, the solution must speak to the object's function, its longevity, and its ability to invite the user to it.
It should prompt enjoyment not only as something beautiful, but in the interaction we have with it."
Stephen Hugo-Seinader
Binary table series
Binary examines the relationship of surface to core.
The top is a sandwich of baltic birch ply between two
sheets of matte white Formica Coloucore™ laminate.
Cutting through the laminate, to reveal a shallow circular walnut tray and edge offers a stratigraphic presence, allowing the richness of the walnut to speak against the neutrality of the white.
Colourcore™ was chosen to solve the challenge of
revealing the naked edge of a plastic surfacing material
which is commonly unsightly, and has pedestrian associations. Sandwiching the layers allows for a thin structure with superior rigidity.
The base structure is essentially about line, being a continuous loop of steel rod, defining the negative space beneath the top. Assymetrically placed cross-members
help the base speak to the top, also providing an
alternative to the usually static nature of such purely structural elements.
Binary coffee table
materials:
Formica COLOURCORE™ laminate
baltic birch ply core
solid walnut
chromed bent-rod steel
dimensions:
48" L x 20" W x 15" H
122cm L x 51cm W x 38cm H
design:
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2000
production:
Centrifuge Studio 2000-present
Binary side tables
Diode console
Diode is the result of a desire for an alternative approach to the support of an occasional-use table.
Its cantilevered design extends beyond the piece itself, with the wall and floor becoming an integral part of the whole.
The solution is a reduction of all elements to their essential functional relationship, with the outcome being a lightweight and compact console table.
Ideal for limited-space living, Diode provides a minimalist solution to the need for an entryway surface. Its effective weight-bearing capability, combined with portability, offer a flexible-use solution.
The shelf component is available in veneered hardwood [with a choice of black walnut, maple, or white oak]
Baltic birch ply core
hardwood veneer
non-marking rubber
48" H x 24" W x 16" D
122cm L x 61cm W x 41cm D
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2001
Centrifuge Studio 2001-present
walnut
maple
oak
48"
36"
24"
16"
Gastro cafe table
Formica™ laminate
baltic birch ply
30" D x 30" W x 30" H
76cm D x 76cm W x 76cm H
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2003
Centrifuge Studio 2003-2008
discontinued/unassigned prototype
Trillium occasional table
Trillium is inspired by the brief spring forest burst of the Trillium grandiflorum, the official flower of Ontario. Its bright, 3-petaled presence is iconic, always memorable when seen in its natural setting, and provides a strong graphic starting point.
Developed with the contract market in mind, in consideration of the need for low-height tables in high-traffic, entryway, and reception/waiting spaces, Trilluim offers a multi-lobed surface that reaches out to seated clients, and establishes a triangular focal point for seating arrangement.
The tabletop is rendered in Baltic birch ply with solid beech edging. It is surfaced in die-cut EPDM sheet, a synthetic rubber chosen for its delicious feel, and excellent resistance to water, steam, oxidation, ozone, acids and alkalis, as well as its ability to withstand significant temperature fluctuations. In production, three separate CNC-cut top components are joined after cutting, allowing for minimal waste in sheet goods consumption.
die-cut EPDM sheet
solid beech
formed stainless steel
38" L x 38" W x 38" D
96cm L x 96cm W x 96cm D
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2009
unassigned prototype
Sideswipe coffee table
folded aluminium sheet
polyester/epoxy powder finish
42" L x 36" W x 16" H
106cm L x 91cm W x 41cm H
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2010
images coming soon
Nido nesting tables
glass-filled epoxy resin/
solid teak/maple drawers/
satin nickel-plated stainless steel
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2011
Galley dining table
Galley was initiated by a client in possession of a very unusually shaped dining area. The brief for the project required that the envelope of the tabletop follow, or at the least echo, the geometry of the room, so as to maximize periferal flow, and provide value-added through specified
contextualisation.
Molded glass-filled epoxy resin was chosen as the material for the top structure, to provide a hollow shell for the nesting of discrete storage at both ends. The contrast of teak and stainless steel against the high sheen of the fibreglass introduces warmth, and the suggestion of a nautical aesthetic reference -an emergent theme in client discussions.
The end faces are drawerfronts with sprung click-stops employed for the drawer mechanics, to eliminate the need
for any handle detail.
The final form provides an unusual relationship in seating positions, enhancing the conversational dynamic of the diners.
Centrifuge Studio [custom one-off]
Stash barstool
form-moulded baltic birch ply
walnut veneer
29" H x 18" W x 18" D
73cm L x 46cm W x 46cm D
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2005
Centrifuge Studio 2005-present
LC23 lounge chair
The design for LC23, based on the familiar use of form-bent ply construction, aims to celebrate the material/process possibilities for shell structure that is physically both light and strong, flexible, yet supportive, and offers a fresh take on the ubiquitous 20th-century approach.
Here the shell is articulated as three discrete pieces, which fit together on the underside of the seat, and combine to suggest unfurling leaf or petal forms.
Walnut facing and solid edging give warmth and finish. Firm leather or wool boucle-covered pads, and a laser-cut, formed stainless steel base round out the triadic solution, to achieve a balance of elements.
form-bent Baltic birch ply core
walnut veneer/solid edge
leather or wool boucle on foam pads
brushed stainless steel
36" D x 26" W x 32" H
92cm D x 66cm W x 81cm H
Jacaranda lounge chair
solid hardwood/Baltic birch ply core
low-VOC foams
organic wool
brushed stainless steel bar
> details
Pinch sofa
Pinch grows from the notion of a pure geometric profile in extrusion. The relationship of the components essentially describes a collision, the directional force of one part impacting on the envelope of the other.
The elegance of working with a simple extrusion, in concert with a seat profile that essentially supports itself, allows for limitless options with regard to length: the sausage need only be as long as the appetite desires...
High-density polyurethane flexible molded foam forms the lightweight core of the seat piece, combined with form-bent ply with steel insert supports for the hollow back form, over which lower-density foam is laid, and finished with a wrap of classic cotton boucle.
The possibilities for institutional/corporate contract seating applications are apparent, with single, double, or multi-seat options easily fulfilled.
soid hardwood/baltic birch ply frame
seat height 15"/
variable length options
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2006
Mitosis modular storage
chromed bent-bar steel
74" L x 18" D x 18" H
188cm L x 46cm W x 46cm H
Centrifuge Studio custom one-off
Glimpse table lamp
frosted polycarbonate sheet
injection-moulded plastic
electropolished stainless steel
10" L x 8" W x 18" H
25cm L x 20cm W x 46cm H
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2002
Centrifuge Studio 2002-2009
sLoop bedframe
The notion of a bed must be at once intimate and universally appealing; quiet in aspect, yet energized; a dynamic of both personal emotional association and aesthetic harmony, so as to strike a balance when brought together with expressions in bedding.
sLoop aims to find that fulcrum of the calm and the active, through direct interaction between positive and negative geometries.
Adaptable to any width of mattress, the design is capable of being produced in any veneered finish. Form-bent ply, solid wood edging, and high-gloss lacquer, along with a solid wood slat system, give sLoop a simplicity of construction suitable for both production and home assembly.
hardwood veneer/solid edging
high-gloss lacquer
assorted hardware
102" L x 62" W x 39" H oa
260cm L x 157cm W x 99cm H oa
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2008
Effervescence carpet
Hand-knotted wool
118" L x 90" W
300cm L x 230cm W
prototype developed for the
Peppermill series
This family of pieces is the result of an initial exploration of alternatives to the traditional pepper mill form.
This contemporary direction is an attempt to put something which is a joy to use into the hands of people who love fresh forms and the warmth of traditional materials.
Each mill is turned from a single piece of Canadian-sourced maple or walnut, with precision stainless-steel parts.
The tempered stainless-steel grinding mechanisms employed are US-made, by CHEF SPECIALTIES™. They have been recognised in the French and American professional cuisine press as the first choice among top chefs worldwide, and they are guaranteed for life.
Peppermill family
solid turned maple or black walnut
precision-machined stainless steel
CHEF SPECIALTIES™
tempered stainless steel mechanism
14/10.5/5" H x 3" dia
35/26/13cm H x 7.25cm dia
No2 peppermill
10.5" H x 3" dia
26cm H x 7.25cm dia
NaCl salt shaker
stainless steel
plastic plug
5" H x 3" dia
12.5 cm H x 7.5 cm dia
Centrifuge Studio 2001-2010
discontinued/unassigned
Transit mailboxes
Transit was inspired by the colour schemes and strong graphic appeal of stations on the Toronto subway system, the first phase of which was designed and constructed in the 1950's.
The colour choices are taken from particular stations that feature that colour, and each is named accordingly.
Designed to be a simple, clean expression of its function, Transit employs a modest use of materials for ease of manufacture, an eco-certified finish, and is available left or right configured.
Transit mailbox
aluminium
white HDPE plastic
epoxy/polyester hybrid powder finish
stainless steel hardware
20" W x 6" H x 5" D
51cm W x 15.25 cm H x 12.5 cm D
Centrifuge Studio 2008-present
Dundas Yellow [RAL 1012]
Glencairn Orange [RAL 2001]
Bathurst Blue [RAL 5009]
Wellesley Green [RAL 6034]
Donlands Red [RAL 3011]
Typ 4 mailbox
14" D x 20" W x 1.5" H
35cm D x 50cm W x 4cm H
Blumbric vase
Borosilicate glass
Slipcast porcelain
8" L x 6" W x 8" H
20cm L x 15cm W x 20cm H
Survo serving tray
The brief is straightforward enough: design a serving tray suitable for everyday use, employing sustainably-sourced bamboo with a stainless a steel accent, to satisfy a market desire for quality and high presentation value.
It became apparent that the wooden component could be easily sourced with only minimal shaping specification required. This meant that the design really boiled down to that of the accent handles.
The advantage that this approach offers arises from the ability to focus on a solution driven by both ergonomics and a single-part fabrication model.
solid bamboo
Stephen Hugo-Seinader 2007
tables
seating
storage
lighting
bedroom
carpets
accessories
concept
coming soon
